Combined Honours BA Honours

Clearing - How to apply

What is Clearing?

Each year, universities may have spaces left on their courses after the application window has closed in June.

UCAS Clearing is your opportunity to snap up one of these places, even if you didn't apply to the university prior to the June deadline.

It also gives you a second chance to go to university if you didn't get the grades you needed for your firm and insurance offers.

How do I get in touch?

Our Clearing entry requirements may differ from those advertised; contacting our friendly advisers is the best way to find out if you’re eligible for a place.

You can get in touch through live chat or our hotlines. Call us on 0800 073 5050, or if you’re an international student calling from outside the UK, call: +44 191 222 5000.

Not available in Clearing

This course is not available in Clearing 2024.

This means there are no spaces available for Clearing 2024. If you can't find vacancies in your original course or subject area, try exploring other subjects in a related field.

Search our courses in Clearing

Course overview

This intellectually demanding multidisciplinary degree programme allows you to explore new subjects or develop your existing interests.

Study complementary disciplines or choose unusual subject combinations to reflect your individual interests and career aspirations.

Specialist career and graduate development modules will prepare you for your future.

Features of this degree include:

• more than 20 subjects to choose from
• try new subjects without prior experience
• language learning from beginners' and advanced level
• specialist career and graduate development modules
• independent projects to combine your subject interests

Your degree certificate will reference the subjects you studied in Stages 2 and 3, allowing employers to identify your areas of expertise, for example, BA Combined Honours in English Literature and French.

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Your course and study experience - disclaimers and terms and conditions  
Please rest assured we make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the programmes, services and facilities described. However, it may be necessary to make changes due to significant disruption, for example in response to Covid-19.

View our Academic experience page, which gives information about your Newcastle University study experience for the academic year 2024-25.

See our terms and conditions and student complaints information, which gives details of circumstances that may lead to changes to programmes, modules or University services.

Quality and ranking

Professional accreditation and recognition

All professional accreditations are reviewed regularly by their professional body.

Modules and learning

Modules

The information below is intended to provide an example of what you will study.

Most degrees are divided into stages. Each stage lasts for one academic year, and you'll complete modules totalling 120 credits by the end of each stage. 

Our teaching is informed by research. Course content may change periodically to reflect developments in the discipline, the requirements of external bodies and partners, and student feedback.

Optional module availability
Student demand for optional modules may affect availability.

Full details of the modules on offer will be published through the Programme Regulations and Specifications ahead of each academic year. This usually happens in May.

To find out more please see our terms and conditions

Our flexible degree structure gives you the freedom to try new subjects.

In Stage 1, you divide your time equally between the two or three subjects you have chosen.

Subjects currently available

You can choose to combine two or three subjects at Stage 1, totalling 120 credits (with a minimum of 40 credits in each subject) and must continue with at least two of them throughout the remainder of the degree.

Archaeology

Business

Chinese

Classics

Education

English Literature

Film (Film Studies or Documentary Practice)

French

Geography

German

History

History of Art

Japanese

Law

Linguistics

Media and Communication

Music

Philosophy

Politics

Portuguese

Sociology

Spanish and Latin American Studies

Please note:

• you may not take more than two Modern Language subjects, and only one of those may be studied at beginners’ level
• most students are able to follow their first choice of subjects. However, subject choice may be constrained by the teaching timetable and capacity on modules
• it is not possible to study Chinese and Japanese, or Film Studies and Documentary Practice, together

From Stage 2 onwards, you can choose how to combine your subjects and how many you wish to study:

• study three subjects in equal proportion
• study two subjects in equal proportion (the joint route)
• spend two-thirds of your time on one subject and one third on the other (the major/minor route)

Your degree certificate will reference the subjects you studied in Stages 2 and 3, allowing employers to identify your areas of expertise, for example, BA Combined Honours in English Literature and French.

In addition to subject modules, we also offer Combined Honours modules unique to you. These include experiential learning and research-based project modules.

In your final year, you have the option of undertaking a dissertation or project that spans more than one of your chosen subjects or focuses on just one.

Year abroad

If you are taking a language beyond Stage 1, you spend a year abroad between Stage 2 and 3 in a country where your chosen language is spoken. You take the following modules:

SML3004 Year Abroad ePortfolio

And either

SML3007 Year Abroad Work Placement Report 1 OR

SML3008 Year Abroad Work Placement Report 2 OR

SML3006 Study Abroad

 

In addition to subject modules, we also offer Combined Honours modules unique to you. These include experiential learning and research-based project modules.

Information about these graphs

We base these figures and graphs on the most up-to-date information available to us. They are based on the modules chosen by our students in 2023-24.

Teaching time is made up of:

• scheduled learning and teaching activities. These are timetabled activities with a member of staff present.
• structured guided learning. These are activities developed by staff to support engagement with module learning. Students or groups of students undertake these activities without direct staff participation or supervision

Teaching and assessment

Teaching methods

As a guide, you'll normally attend three or four lectures and a similar number of seminars a week.

You'll be taught by staff from within the different subject areas that you choose to study, which means you'll learn from specialists in each field.

Assessment methods

You'll be assessed through a combination of:

• 

  Assessments

• 

  Coursework

• 

  Projects

Skills and experience

The professional, practical and research skills you'll develop through your degree depend on the subjects you choose.

Combined Honours students are heavily involved with shaping the programme. This student engagement and partnership benefit you as a student and encourage you to grow in confidence.

Opportunities

Study abroad

Experience life in another country with study abroad. You’ll be encouraged to embrace fun and challenging experiences, make connections with new communities and graduate as a globally aware professional, ready for your future.

Students studying a language

If you study a language beyond Stage 1 you'll have the option to spend a year abroad after Stage 2, extending your degree to four years.

Find out more about study abroad when studying a language

Students not studying a language

Students who are not studying a language may also have the opportunity to study abroad. You can substitute one semester or add an extra year to study abroad after Stage 2 (depending on subject choice).

Find out more about spending a semester abroad

Find out more about spending a year abroad

Work placement 

Alternatively, you have the opportunity to take a 9 to 12 month work placement in the UK or abroad between Stages 2 and 3, regardless of subject combination.

You can apply to spend your placement year with any organisation and will receive University support to do so.

You’ll gain first-hand experience of working in your chosen sector, putting your learning into practice and developing your professional expertise.

It will extend your degree by a year and is subject to availability, however it isn't available if you're spending a year studying abroad.

Find out more about work placements

Facilities and environment

Facilities

As a Combined Honours student, you will be based at the Henry Daysh Building. Here and across campus you'll have access to a whole range of facilities

Newcastle University has achieved five QS Stars for facilities from QS Quacquarelli Symonds. You'll benefit from top facilities that not only support you and help you get the best out of your studies but give you an outstanding experience, such as:

• an award-winning library service
• excellent IT facilities
• a range of study support and wellbeing services to help you reach your full potential
• a wide range of sporting facilities

Find out more about our campus and facilities

Support

You'll have the support of an academic member of staff as a personal tutor throughout your degree to help with academic and personal issues.

Peer mentors will help you in your first year. They are fellow students who can help you settle in and answer any questions you have, when starting university.

Your future

Combined Honours graduates are well placed to enter a wide range of careers, being adaptable, efficient and self-motivated, with a variety of skills and qualities that employers are keen to use.

Combined Honours graduates can be found in all roles and areas of a contemporary internationally facing economy. They take positions in government and civil service, media, journalism, financial services, marketing and project management. Their disciplinary knowledge, combined with their flexibility, and self-motivation make them especially attractive to employers in a rapidly changing environment.

Make a difference

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Careers support

Our award-winning Careers Service is one of the largest and best in the country, and we have strong links with employers. We provide an extensive range of opportunities to all students through our ncl+ initiative.

Visit our Careers Service website

Recognition of professional qualifications outside of the UK

From 1 January 2021 there is an update to the way professional qualifications are recognised by countries outside of the UK

Tuition fees and scholarships

Tuition fees for 2025 entry (per year)

The 2025 home fees have not yet been confirmed (see ‘Home Fee Students’ information below).

Qualification: BA Honours
Home students full time 3 years	Tuition fees (per year) Not set
International students full time 3 years	Tuition fees (per year) 23800

Home Fee Students

Home students starting in 2024 entry
£9,250 is the maximum fee that we are currently permitted to charge for home fee-paying students. This is set by the UK government.

As a general principle, you should expect the tuition fee to increase in each subsequent academic year of your course, subject to government regulations on fee increases and in line with inflation.

Home students starting in 2025 entry
The 2025 home fees have not yet been confirmed. In November 2024 the government increased the maximum fee level to £9,535 for 2025/26. We expect to confirm our Undergraduate Home fees for 2025/26 in December 2024.

As a general principle, you should expect the tuition fee to increase in each subsequent academic year of your course, subject to government regulations on fee increases and in line with inflation.

Read more about fees and funding

International Fee Students

Depending on your residency history, if you’re a student from the EU, other EEA or a Swiss national, with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you’ll normally pay the ‘Home’ tuition fee rate and may be eligible for Student Finance England support.

EU students without settled or pre-settled status will normally be charged fees at the ‘International’ rate and will not be eligible for Student Finance England support.

If you are unsure of your fee status, check out the latest guidance here.

As a general principle, you should expect the tuition fee to increase in each subsequent academic year of your course, subject to government regulations on fee increases and in line with inflation.

Read more about fees and funding

Scholarships

We support our EU and international students by providing a generous range of Vice-Chancellor's automatic and merit-based scholarships. See our undergraduate scholarship page for more information.

Year abroad and additional costs

For programmes where you can spend a year on a work placement or studying abroad, you will receive a significant fee reduction for that year. 

Some of our degrees involve additional costs which are not covered by your tuition fees.

Scholarships

Find out more about:

• scholarships for UK, EU and international students
• Student Loans and Government financial support for UK and EU students

How to apply

Apply through UCAS

To apply for undergraduate study at Newcastle University, you must use the online application system managed by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). All UK schools and colleges, and a small number of EU and international establishments, are registered with UCAS. You will need:

• the UCAS name and institution codes for Newcastle University (NEWC/N21)
• the UCAS code for the course you want to apply for
• the UCAS 'buzzword' for your school or college

If you are applying independently, or are applying from a school or college which is not registered to manage applications, you will still use the Apply system. You will not need a buzzword.

Apply through UCAS

Apply through an agent

International students often apply to us through an agent. Have a look at our recommended agents and get in touch with them.

Visit our International pages